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Wednesday, 12 March 2014

Breaking good

It was a momentous day yesterday. On my daily dog walk, I swapped my ear muffs for sunglasses. Down by the river, the flood waters have receded and spring has finally sprung. Just when you think you can't endure the grey days of winter any longer, nature throws down a few sunbeams to lift your spirits again.

Pickle sniffs out the first signs of spring

As a child living in the tropics, I remember one of my mum's friends lamenting the absence of seasons. Personally I have always felt seasons are overrated - give me eternal summer anytime. But, living in England as I must, there is something undeniably lovely about the return of spring each year. As a species, human beings are pretty remote from the rhythms of the natural world, but spring is one event we can't ignore. The sense of renewal and optimism, brought on by vivid sunshine and flowers popping up overnight, is irresistible. My husband and I have just started watching the hit TV show, Breaking Bad. In the first episode, the main protagonist, Walter White, describes how chemistry is the study of matter: "It's growth, then decay, then transformation." Spring sunshine is the catalyst for that seasonal transformation.And with renewal, comes hope. Perhaps that is what my mum's friend was missing all those years ago: the promise of new experiences. Spring lets you believe that anything is possible. There is still time and opportunity to grow into that person you always wanted to be. So pop on your shades and go seize the day... quick, before the sun goes in.